COVID-19 pandemic had its toll on women, it also made working from home a norm that worked for women who would have otherwise been forced to leave or shift jobs due to various reasons including childcare.
This has laid groundwork for different female-friendly work policies that include flexi-working for female employees whose children have less than a year, ECDs, and lactation rooms for breastfeeding mothers.
The norm was that when maternity leave, which is 12 weeks as per the Rwandan labour law, mothers would need to rush home in breaks to breastfeed their babies, while those who couldn’t express their breast milk from bathrooms.
Returning to work without adequate support mechanisms hamper optimal breastfeeding practices, considering that health experts advise six months of exclusive breastfeeding for a newborn. Children with working mothers tend to be fed formula or cow milk, depending on the means.
However, breastfeeding is the natural, and healthiest, way to feed a baby from birth, according to UNICEF.
"No milk substitute can compete with breast milk in terms of nutrients, antibodies, attachment prospects, bonding, and stimulation. The advantages of breastfeeding manifest themselves right from the baby’s first contact with the mother’s breast and benefit the baby, its mother, and the relationship between the two,” reads UNICEF’s breastfeeding support in the workplace guide.
Besides, if women are unable to breastfeed or keep their pattern, it can cause a great deal of stress and guilt, let alone pain in their breasts.
Different companies have therefore decided to put in place mother-friendly policies to support mothers to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of life, as per World Health Organisation and UNICEF recommendations, and to continue breastfeeding for as long as they choose.
In Rwanda, NCBA was among the first to implement breastfeeding support in the workplace, among other gender-responsive policies.
In an interview with The New Times’ Glory Iribagiza, CEO at NCBA, Lina Higiro shared details about the mothers’ room, how it has benefitted their staff and other gender and family-responsive policies in the workplace.
Please describe what your mothers’ room looks like. What equipment does it have?
The NCBA Mother's room was designed with the mother's comfort in mind. The room is spacious and white, creating a relaxed atmosphere for the mother. The room is equipped with a rocking chair and chair bed, this was done so that the mothers have options in comfort whilst nursing, and the room is also equipped with cabinets and a fridge for storing the milk. The room is not only for mothers but for any woman who needs privacy, especially during her menstrual cycle, to rest when she has cramps or other unpleasant effects. Sanitary pads are also always accessible in the room.
What led to the initiative to have a mothers’ room at your bank?
The purpose of having a mother's room in the workplace is to support and accommodate the needs of working mothers who may require a private space to breastfeed, pump breast milk or tend to their infants' needs. Providing a dedicated and comfortable space for mothers can help reduce stress, improve productivity and retain talented employees.
According to a survey conducted by Medela, a leading breast pump manufacturer, in 2021, 72 percent of working mothers have breastfed at work, and 62 percent of those who have breastfed have used a lactation room. Moreover, 63 percent of mothers who had access to a dedicated mother's room reported feeling more productive, and 57 percent reported feeling more loyal to their employer.
Apart from supporting breastfeeding, the mother's room can also serve as a menstrual relief center. Menstrual cramps affect many women, and it can have a significant impact on their work performance and quality of life. According to a survey by the according to a survey by the healthcare company, Ginger, 84 percent of women reported that menstrual pain had affected their ability to work, and 43 percent of women had missed work or school because of menstrual pain
Having a designated private space where women can rest, take medication which can help alleviate menstrual pain and improve work productivity. The mother's room can also provide access to menstrual products and educate employees on menstrual hygiene management.
Therefore, providing a mother's room in the workplace can help support working mothers, improve productivity, and reduce absenteeism. It can also serve as a menstrual relief center to support women who struggle with menstrual cramps and promote menstrual hygiene management.
How were breastfeeding mothers expressing their milk before launching this room?
Usually mothers when they would finish their maternity leave, they either had to rush home and feed their babies, or figure it out in the work washrooms which was not the best nor hygienic solution.
How are the beneficiaries of this room benefiting from it? How is the company benefiting from it?
In general, this room is there to create a safe space for the mother but also a lending hand, it is there to show the mothers that we support them. Our employees benefit from this space by experiencing less stress from balancing being an employee and a mother. In terms of how the business benefits, we are looking out for our own, and in the end, this has a positive impact on productivity.
Is it only for NCBA staff, or do your clients also benefit from the initiative?
The room is currently only accessible to staff; however, if necessary, the room can be made available to clients.
Tell us about other gender-responsive policies in your workplace
NCBA Bank Rwanda has a gender parity committee that works to promote gender diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities within the bank. The importance of a gender parity committee in the workplace is to ensure that there is equal representation, opportunities, and treatment of all genders in the workplace. The committee works towards achieving gender equity in the workplace, which is in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
According to the World Economic Forum, it will take more than 200 years to close the gender pay gap globally if current trends continue. World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021, the global gender gap in economic participation and opportunity remains at 58.9%, indicating that women's participation and representation in the labor force are still far from achieving parity.
In addition, studies have shown that gender diversity in the workplace has a positive impact on productivity, innovation, and profitability.
NCBA has put in place several gender-responsive policies in the workplace some of which include revising the Human Resource Management policy to include a 2-month flexible working arrangement for female staff upon their return from maternity leave that can be utilized either from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm or 11:00 am to 5:00 pm based on the arrangement with their line manager. Paternity leave was also increased from 4 days to 14 days. The same HR policy also allows for an employee to take off five working days to cater for their child of 10 years and below that is admitted to hospital.
We are seeing a trend in gender-responsive policies in workplaces, although it could be better. Do you think such policies have something to do with having women in decision-making positions in companies?
Having women in decision-making positions may impact the responsiveness, but I believe that, with the efforts of our Government through GMO, PSF, UNDP and UN women to bring awareness to these issues, especially in the private sector has increased the responsiveness. – Basically, thanks to the Government's effort to push the gender responsive policies
What best practices can you share with other companies which are struggling to have such policies?
For companies which are struggling to have such policies, they can adopt these practices to promote gender responsive policies in the workplace.
Conduct a gender audit: A gender audit is a comprehensive review of a company's policies, practices, and culture to identify gender-based barriers and opportunities for improvement. By conducting a gender audit, companies can identify areas where they need to improve and develop strategies to promote gender equality and diversity in the workplace.
Create a gender-sensitive work environment: Companies should promote a gender-sensitive work environment that respects diversity and fosters inclusion. This can be achieved by providing training and education on gender equality and diversity, promoting women's leadership and career development, and creating a safe and supportive work environment for all employees.
Lastly, Implement gender mainstreaming: Gender mainstreaming is the process of integrating gender perspectives and considerations into all policies and practices of a company. It involves ensuring that women and men have equal access to opportunities, resources, and services, and that gender-based differences are taken into account in decision-making processes.
How do you think gender responsive policies benefit companies?
With gender responsive policies benefit companies in many ways;
The first benefit is that there is improved employee retention and productivity. When companies promote gender equality and provide support for women's needs, they can retain female employees who may otherwise leave due to work-family conflicts.
Secondly, there is access to a wider pool of talent. Gender-responsive policies can help companies to attract and retain diverse talent, including women and individuals from underrepresented groups. This can bring new perspectives and ideas to the workplace, leading to innovation and creativity.
Lastly, there is significantly improved financial performance, studies have shown that companies with diverse workforces and gender-responsive policies tend to have better financial performance. For instance, a study by McKinsey & Company found that companies in the first quarter for gender diversity are 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the last quarter.